Treat Yourself

It’s Monday… if you don’t already have dinner cooking, tonight, we’re giving you permission to go out. If you’d like to take a break from the kitchen, that is quite alright—you’ve got plenty of options!

Enjoy a meal out on the town at a restaurant that prides itself on its local options. Or get some take-out or have something delivered. Even if the kitchen is your happy place, it can be nice to treat yourself to a restaurant dinner every once in awhile.

Are you worried that eating out will be a challenge when you are on the Challenge? We’ve created a little “How-To” for you.

.

Today’s Assignment:

.

Treat Yourself to a Meal

So, you’re going out to eat during the Eat Local Challenge, and you want to ensure that you’re sticking to your goals and guidelines, but don’t want to sound like a snob… Here’s an example of what you can say:

“I’m doing this Eat Local Challenge, what do you recommend? What’s the most local thing on the menu?”

When you go to a restaurant tonight, or any night, don’t be afraid to ask about local products. When looking at the menu, keep your eyes out for ingredients you know are typically local and ask your server where it is from. Keep in mind that your server may not know, but they might be willing to find out for you. Servers are usually very responsive and happy to learn more about what they’re serving. This is the time to be as flexible as you can. Maybe you won’t find something as completely local as you’d like, but choosing the “most local” item on the menu is a great way to show your encouragement.

This is the time to be as flexible as you can. Maybe you won’t find something as completely local as you’d like, but choosing the “most local” item on the menu is a great way to show your support for local sourcing. And you may discover it’s the most delicious thing on the menu, too.

Looking for a local restaurant in Santa Barbara County, check out our Guide.

If you taste a to-die-for local meal, don’t forget to take a picture and share it with the ELC Community or post about a restaurant with delicious, locally grown options: #EatLocalChallenge2017